RSS man complains against 'fake' booklet on 'new Constitution'
Ahmedabad: An RSS functionary here has lodged a complaint with Ahmedabad police against unidentified persons for allegedly circulating a "fake and misleading" booklet titled the "New Constitution of India" with the picture of Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on it, an official said on Saturday.
An office-bearer of the RSS's Maninagar unit in Ahmedabad, Dinesh Vala, on Friday lodged the complaint with Cyber Cell police here.
The complaint says that the 16-page booklet, which has gone viral on social media, claims to be a concise form of the new Indian Constitution being drafted by the Narendra Modi government, which empowers people as per their position in the caste system.
The booklet mentions that as per the new Constitution, people from Brahmin community will dominate the country, and powers of citizens will be determined by their place in the caste system. It also says that the voting rights of women and untouchables will be taken away, the complainant said.
In the complaint, Vala said that the booklet says that a detailed Constitution was being drafted, for which people could send in their ideas and suggestions to the Prime Minister's Office, New Delhi.
"People will have to send a copy of their suggestions to the RSS office in Nagpur. A good suggestion will get an reward of Rs 10,000," the complaint quotes the booklet as saying.
"I received this booklet in PDF format on my WhatsApp account. When I went through it, I grew suspicious about its authenticity. I forwarded the copy to a senior RSS functionary, who told me that it was fake. After that, I decided to lodge a complaint," Vala, a lawyer by profession, said.
The cyber crime police said they have registered an offence under sections IPC sections 153 (provocation with intent to cause riots) and 505 (1)(b), 505 (1) (c) (inciting public or community to commit an offence), and section 66 (C) of the Information Technology Act (electronic message meant to cause annoyance or mislead).
The RSS had on Friday made it clear that it had nothing to do with the booklet and even alleged that it was an attempt to defame the organisation.
The RSS had even lodged a complaint over the booklet with the Kotwali Police Station in Nagpur, where the organisation's headquarters is located.
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Ordinance issued to increase number of Supreme Court judges from 34 to 38
New Delhi (PTI): The government has promulgated an ordinance to increase the strength of the Supreme Court from the present 34 judges to 38, including the Chief Justice of India.
The law ministry notified the ordinance on Saturday, which amended the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, to increase the sanctioned strength of the top court.
So far, the sanctioned strength of the top court was 34, including the Chief Justice of India (CJI). Now, the number of judges has been increased by four, taking the sanctioned strength to 38.
The top court will now have 37 judges, other than the CJI.
With the apex court having two vacancies at present, and the ordinance coming into force immediately, the Supreme Court Collegium will now have to recommend six names for appointment as judges in the top court.
A bill will be brought in the Monsoon Session of Parliament to convert the ordinance – an executive order – into a law passed by Parliament.
The Union Cabinet had cleared a draft bill on May 5 to increase the number of apex court judges.
The strength of the Supreme Court was last increased from 30 to 33 (excluding the CJI) in 2019.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, as originally enacted in 1956, put the maximum number of judges (excluding the CJI) at 10.
This number was increased to 13 by the Supreme Court (Number of Judges), Amendment Act, 1960, and to 17 by another amendment to the law.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 1986, augmented the strength of judges from 17 to 25, excluding the CJI.
A fresh amendment in 2009 further increased the strength from 25 to 30.
Article 124(3) of the Constitution lists the qualifications required to become a Supreme Court judge.
An Indian citizen who has either served as a high court judge for at least five years, or as an advocate for 10 years, or is a distinguished jurist, can be appointed to the top court.
The strength of the Supreme Court is increased based on the recommendations of the CJI, who writes to the Union law minister. After consulting the finance ministry, the Department of Justice under the law ministry moves the Cabinet with a draft bill.
